Your השקפה - hashkafa is your level of observance/philosophy towards your Jewish practice.This has been seriously highlighted (highlit?) in my life lately. Really ever since I came to Jerusalem. Being on a path to increased observance for almost 12 years, there have been subtle changes to my hashkafa and some less subtle ones.Subtle - realizing all the sudden one day that I am not as comfortable as I have been in the past singing or dancing in front of men.Not subtle - dressing modestly, e … [Read more...]

The Laws of Sukkah According to Dr. SeussYou can build it very small 1 You can build it very tall 2 You can build it very large 3 You can build it on a barge You can build it on a ship 4 Or on a roof but please don't slip 5 You can build it in an alley 6 You shouldn't build it in a valley 7 You can build it on a wagon 8 You can build it on a dragon 9 You can make the schach of wood 10 Would you, could you, YES you should Make the schach from leaves of tree but shouldn't bend it at … [Read more...]

Once I actually found the sherut (taxi van), I had to tell them where I was going... I (I know, I know silly me) didn't actually write down the address, I just knew it in my head. But when they asked me... I was pronouncing it like an American... and not correctly. And I had forgotten it was a two word name Hizkiyahu HaMelech. Only the document I had had the first word spelled Yehesikayhu... at least I knew my neighborhood, Ketamon.As we drive towards Jerusalem, we are stopped several times to … [Read more...]

As you are aware by now, last week we celebrated Shavuot and had a chance to do some great learning. One of my favorite discussions, and one I thought our readers would appreciate, came from a session early in the night with my Rebbetzin, T. The class was on Megilat Ruth.T introduced the class by commenting on the juxtaposition of what we read on the different days of Shavuot. The first day we read about the receiving of the Torah. It is a big, loud and flashy moment, filled with thunder an … [Read more...]

There is an ages old tradition of staying up all night to learn Torah and Jewish values the night of Shavuot - the holiday which commemorates the receiving of the Torah. The most commonly shared reason for doing this is so that we can be up and excited to receive the Torah. Well, I have to be honest - after staying up all night learning, I am so tired - I don't want to even stay at services long enough to hear the Torah read, let alone to be excited for it. However, every year I feel the co … [Read more...]